Latch and keeper



J. F. WHITE. LATCH AND KEEPER. APPLICATION FILED APR.6. 1911.

Patented Mar. 23, 1920.

2 SHEETS-SHEET I J. F. WHITE.

LATCH AND KEEPER.

APPLICATION FILED APR. 6- lUl/Y 11,334,575. 7 Patented Mm. 1920.

2 SHEETS-SHEEI 2 Jan Z.7Z69/&Z 0r

JOHN F. WHITE, OF CHICAGO, ILLINOIS,

WHITE PRODUCTS COMPANY, OF CHICAGO, ILLINOIS,

NOIS.

ASSIGNOR, BY MES NE ASSIGIIMENTS, TO

a ooarona'rron or ILLI- LATCI-I AND KEEPER.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Mar. 23, 1920.

Application filed April 6, 1917. Serial No. 160,102.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, JOHN F. WHITE, a citizen of the United States, residing at Chicago, in the. county of Cook and State of Illinois, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Latches and Keepers, of which the following is a specification.

In the latching of engine hoods for automobiles, it is important to provide for a certain degree of flexibility of the parts to accommodate the same to the vibrations and strains of use, and at the same time to provide for accurate adjustment of the latch and keeper and associated elements so that there shall be no lost motion and consequent rattling. I

It is found that there is considerable variation as between the fit and movement of the hood door and engine frame in cars of the same make and style, and it is a, task of some importance to so properly adjust the latch and keeper to each other and to the door and frame that they will engage with certainty when the door is closed and that there'shall be such accurate fit as will preclude lost motion when latched.

The-object of the present invention is to provide a keeper for cooperation with a hood latch, or other latches where similar conditions are present, the keeper being of such design as to be readily adapted to different types of frame and hood, and which after being assembled with the door and latch may be readily adjusted as to the operative portion of the keeper so as to bring about an accurate cooperative relationship to the latch.

A further object of the invention is the special construction and arrangement of latch elements of the general type set forth in my copending application Serial No. 140,005, Patent No. 1300796, whereby the latch may cooperate with its keeper to effect flexibility and accurate fitting of the parts as above stated; providing for sufficient play of the parts in the act of latching the door to insure engagement with the keeper and to preclude malformation or disarrangement of the latch or keeper if the door he violently closed; also providing for the effective guiding of the latch into engagement with the keeper, and for minimizing wear and insuring ease of operation at all times.

To assist in a thorough understanding of the invention, a preferred embodiment of the same is set forth in the accompanying drawings, together with certain modifications, the drawings serving as a basis for the following detailed description. The invention being clearly disclosed, it is obvious that other embodiments of the same will readily occur to workers in the art, which. come within the scope of the invention as set forth in the appended claims; wherefore it is understood that the drawing and description are to be taken in an illustrative and not in an unnecessarily limiting sense. In the drawings Figure 1 is a perspective view of a keeper embodying the invention;

Figs. 2 and ,3 are similar views showing the keeper modified to the extent of having the base portion shortened to varying extent;

Fig. 4 illustrates the form of keeper shown in Fig. 3 with its base portion'bent to adapt it for fitting over the corner of the engine frame;

Fig.6 is a similar view of a modified form of keeper designed for use in connection with certain types of hood and machine frames;

Fig. 6 is a fragmentary detail vertical section illustrating the form of keeper shown in Fig-5 as applied in position;

Fig. 7 is an assembled view in side elevation illustrating the keeper and latch in c0- operative relation to each other and t0 the engine hood and frame;

Fig. 8 is a front elevation of Fig. 7'; and

Fig. 9 is a fragmentary horizontal view through an engine hood showing the relation of the keeper to the engine hood and frame, the keeper here illustrated being the same as shown in Figs. 1 and 2.

Referring first to that form of construction illustrated in Figs. 1 to 4: inclusive, 'it will be understood that from an oblong blank of metal the central portion is punched out along a line substantially parallel to the sides and one end and transversely bent along a line joining the two parallel lines of severance so as to provide a base portion 11 suitably apertured as at '12 for the accommodation of screws, bolts or other securing devices, and another outstanding latch-engaging loop portion 13 which is pendent from the base and reversely bent to a modi-- I blank of metal is entirely punched out at wardly except t with a hammer-u fied S-shape, the terminal portion 13 thereof bearing the cross bar 13 in a substantiallyvertical position.

In Fig. 1 the base portion 11 is shown as including the full length of the metal punched out of the loop portion 13, whereas in Fig. 2 it is shown as cut off along a line in the vertical plane of the vertical face of said loop portion, and in Fig. 3 it is cut to an intermediate length.

The extent to which the base portion 11 will becut away will depend upon the situation in which the keeper is to be used. The end of the keeper base will ordinarily bear against the guide plate 14 o f the engine frame 15 as indicated in Figs. 7, 8 and'9, and where the engine hood is of a sloping construction, keepers will be employed having a different length of base as shown, for instance, in Fi 9.

Having re erence to Figs. 5 and 6, the

16 to provide the loop portion 17 having an opening in its upper end only; The lower reversely curved portion of the upstandin part of the keeper is of solid metal liat it is punched out as indicated at 18 inorder to weaken the same for transverse bending at the point 19. The base portion of the keepers shown in Figs. 5 and 6, having the reference numeral 20 applied thereto,-is likewise suitably apertured at 21 for the accommodation of a.fastening device, in this instance shown as a machine screw 22. This form of keeper is particularly adapted for use in connection with that form of engine hood'having a doubly hinged portion 23 which is intended to be swung inwardly and then dropped downwardly into a recess 24 between the angle -member 25 of the'machine frame and a suitable secondary lateral abutment. In such a situation, the base 20 of the keeper is passed beneath and secured to the under side of the frame member 25 with a part 26 of the loopportion of the keeper forming the oppositewall of the recess 24. This isclea'rly shown in'Fig. 6.

When the keeper is mounted as shown in Figs. 7 and,8, for cooperative relation with the hood latch, the base 11 having been cut ofi' of such length as t properly position the loop portion of the keeper with reference to the-hood, it will be readily understood that byreason of the peculiar outline and curvature of the loop'portion 0f the keeper, the same may be varied as to height by tapping on the top of the cross bar 13 which wil serve to emphasize the reverse curves of the keeper and reduce its height. If too low, the handle of a wrench I or other tool may be inserted within the loop and used as a lever to force the same upstraightening the curves. If the cross bar increasing its height by slightly- 13 is too far to the right or to the left to properly engage the hook of the latch, a blow with a hammeron either side will properly position the same; or the jaws of a wrench may be closed upon the portion 13' of the keeper and the degree of t 1e S-curve may be emphasized or minimize in order to properly position the cross bar 13 for 00- operative engagement with the hook of the latch.

straint as to its swinging motion. With a.

view, therefore, to harmonizing these conditions I have devised a latch of the same general type as that set forth in my copending application Serial No. 140,005, but with the hook limited as to its swinging movement relative to the hood, the present latch comprising a shank 30 pivoted at 31 to the handle 32, the said shank being of round stock and having formed thereon' a hook 33 for enga ement with the cross bar 13* of the keeper, t e hook head of the latch having a terminal portion 34 forming an exterior continuation of the beak portion of the hook with a gradual curve adapted to guide the descending hook into a proper position to engage within the keeper. It will be understood that the latch as a whole swings inwardly and outwardly with the hood door 35, but the lower portion thereof also has a movement independently of the door toward and from the door and keeper, the extent to which-it may move away from the door being limited by the loop bracket 36. A spring 37 is mounted about the latch shank 30 between the loop bracket 36 as a lower abutment and the shoulder 38 as an upper abutment whereby the hook is normally pressed by the spring upwardly longitudinally of its axis away from the keeper so as to hold the same securely in engagement after the hook is once entered within the keeper. Similarly to the construction set out in my application above referred to, an operating member 39 is pivoted to the handle at 0, this operating rod havin its lower portion formed as a loop wit 1 a cross member 41 lying withinthe throat of the hook and .below the beak thereof.

of opening the hood serves to lift upwardly on the operating rod 39 and to push downwardlyupon the shank 30 of the hook latch.

hooked end of the latch to the right out of.

engagement with the keeper. Assuming the hood door to be dropped in its lowered position ready for latching, a downward pressure upon the handle 32 will tend to push the'hook of the latch to the left and also to move the latch downwardly in opposition to the spring 37, the cross bar 13 of the keeper riding upon the curved surface of the hook extension 34 and as soon as the beak 33 of the hook clears the said cross bar 13 the hook will snap into engagement with the keeper.

There is considerable wear upon the cross member 41 of the operating rod loo and also upon the beak of the hook. ere

these parts are made of flat stock, punched.

out of sheet metal, this wear is a serious item. By making these parts of round stock as illustrated, the wearing contact is spread over a much larger surface and is reduced to a negligible quantity.

If it be assumed that the hood is dropped into its closed position but is not yet latched, an inexperienced or rough manlpulatorof the same is liable to attempt to latch the hood by slammingthe door. It will be clear that if the hook shank 30 were guided within 'a bracket at its lower end w ich did not provide for lateral movement, the impact of the hook against the keeper would tend to displace the latter inwardly and would cause the same after a time to become inoperative for cooperative relation with the latch. By means of the present construction, if the hood were slammed shut, the hook of the latch can yield toward the door to such an extent that" however strong pressure be applied to the door no pressure would be transmitted to the keeper by reason of the swingin of the latch toward the door. This efl ectuallyprevents any malformation of the parts. i The loop bracket 36, at the same time, limits the movement of the latch in wardly away from the door and the latch being maintained under the influence of the spring 37 will, after being engaged within the keeper, hold the door 35 firmly against the guide plate 14 so asto preclude any misfit or rattling of the parts.

It will thus be seen that the appropriate form of keeper having been chosen for the a latching of the hood, and secured in place by the machine screws 22 or suitable securing device, the relation of the cross bar l3 of-thekeeper may be readily adjusted by bendin the same inwardly or outwardly, or upwar ly or downwardly to suit the particular mounting of the latch upon the hood or the relation of these to the frame and guide; further that this adjustment having been secured, the special arrangement of the latch, whereby violent impact is prevented, insures a maintenance of the adjustment even under rough usage.

I claim: 1. A keeper comprising a fixed base and an outstanding latch-engaging portion ineluding a cross-bar, the latch engaging portion bent from a straight line whereby to enable it to yield toward the base to vary the effective length thereof.

2. A keeper comprising-a fixed base and an angularly disposed outstanding latch-em gaging loop portion, the latter bent along a curved line whereby to enable it to yield toward the base and at right angles thereto to vary the effective length thereof.

3. A keeper comprising a fixed base and an angularly disposed outstanding latch-engaging loopportion, the latter bent in a reverse curve whereby to enable it to yield in two directions at angles to each other to vary the effective length thereof.

4. A keeper comprising a blank punched out at one end and the punched out material transversely bent to form a fixed base and the remainder an angularly disposed outstanding latch-engaging loop portion, the latter bent in a reverse curve'whereby to enable it to yield toward the base and at anangle thereto to vary the effective length thereof.

5. In a hood fastener or the like, the combination with a hinged member to .be

latched, of a keeper fixedlymounted within the hood, a latch carried by the hood door and mounted to swing with and independently of the door toward and from the keeper, and a loop member on the door and confining the latch to limit its -movement toward the keeper.

6. In a hood fastener or the like, the combination with a hinged member of an engine hood, of a keeper and latch hook mounted within the hood one on the hinged member and the other on a fixed support and relatively movable toward each other, a spring pressing the hook upwardly away from its keeper, the latch movable independently of its support toward and from the keeper, a loop member limiting the movement of the free end of the latch hook relative to the hood member, an operating member movably associated with the hook and having a portion extending across the throat and below the beak of the hook, the operating member operable from without the hood to expel the hook from the keeper in the act of openin the hood and to en gage the hook with t 1e keeper in the act of closing the hood.

7. In a device of the class described, the combination with a hinged member of an ltltl engine hood, of a stationary keeper within the hood, a hooked latch rod of round stock mounted Within the hood on the hinged member and swinging therewith and also independently thereof to and from operable relation to the keeper, a spring pressingthe hook longitudinally away from the keeper, the hooked end of the latch having a terminal portion curved gradually to form a gently inclined guide for directing the hook into engagement with the keeper, an operating rod likewise formed of round stock movably associated with the hook and having a portion extending across the throat and elow the beak of the hook, a handle connect- 15 ed with the hook and the operating member and extending to the exterior of the hood, and a loop mounted on 'the hinged member and confining the latch to limited swinging movement toward the keeper in- 20 dependently of the door.

In witness whereof I have hereunto si ned my name in the presence of two subscri ing witnesses.

JOHN F. WHITE. Witnesses:

E. L. LAMOREAUX, MARY C. BROWER. 

